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Todd Stout · 08-11-2007, 11:24 PM

I installed my brand new Alpine CDA-9885 yesterday afternoon in my 2001 Toyota Tacoma but I didn't have enough time to install my new Infinity Reference series speakers (6810cs components for the doors and 6812cf coaxials for the X-Tra Cab). I've been driving around the past day or so with the Alpine connected to the cheap factory speakers and it sounds pretty bad to me. There is almost no bass and the midrange is really harsh. It almost sounds like there is some sort of crossover cutting off the low frequencies but I have the subwoofer set to "off" in the setup menu. Turning the loudness function "on" makes things a lot worse with a little more bass but a lot more midrange harshness.

The factory head unit sounded a lot better when connected the the factory speakers but I'm not sure why. The sound was a lot more balanced with at least some low end and no hint of harhsness to the midrange.

Do I have my new Alpine set up incorrectly or does it just not like my cheap factory speakers? I'm guessing things will improve once I get my Infinitys in place but I'd think the Alpine would make even the cheap factory speakers sound better. Why does this thing sound so anemic? What do you guys think?

08-11-2007, 11:24 PM	#1 of 15
Todd Stout Member Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA Join Date: Jul 1999 Local Time: 11:37 PM Local Date: 08-29-2008 Posts: 1,176	Why does my new head unit sound so bad? I installed my brand new Alpine CDA-9885 yesterday afternoon in my 2001 Toyota Tacoma but I didn't have enough time to install my new Infinity Reference series speakers (6810cs components for the doors and 6812cf coaxials for the X-Tra Cab). I've been driving around the past day or so with the Alpine connected to the cheap factory speakers and it sounds pretty bad to me. There is almost no bass and the midrange is really harsh. It almost sounds like there is some sort of crossover cutting off the low frequencies but I have the subwoofer set to "off" in the setup menu. Turning the loudness function "on" makes things a lot worse with a little more bass but a lot more midrange harshness. The factory head unit sounded a lot better when connected the the factory speakers but I'm not sure why. The sound was a lot more balanced with at least some low end and no hint of harhsness to the midrange. Do I have my new Alpine set up incorrectly or does it just not like my cheap factory speakers? I'm guessing things will improve once I get my Infinitys in place but I'd think the Alpine would make even the cheap factory speakers sound better. Why does this thing sound so anemic? What do you guys think?